The loveliest secret gardens and underrated parks in London | House & Garden

Rembrandt Gardens, Little Venice

You'll find this peaceful spot where Regent’s Canal meets Grand Union Central Canal, offering a welcome respite from the bustle of nearby Paddington station. Rembrandt Gardens are rumoured to have been named by poet Robert Browning after the 17th century Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, and appropriately feature colourful tulip borders.

Camley Street Natural Park, Kings Cross

On the banks of Regent’s Canal, right by one of London's busiest train stations, is where you'll find two acres of wild green space ran by London Wildlife Trust. Camley Street Natural Park was created from an old Coal Yard in 1984, now its woodland, grassland and wetland habitats provide a home for mallards, coots, kingfishers, herons, amphibians and insects – and a much-needed respite from the Kings Cross masses.

Kyoto Gardens in Holland Park

Hidden away in west London’s Holland Park, the Kyoto Gardens offer visitors a slice of Japanese tranquillity complete with a trickling waterfall and koi carp. Opened in 1991 as a gift from Kyoto to commemorate the long-standing friendship between the UK and Japan, the garden received an extension in 2012, when the Fukushima memorial garden was opened to the public. As well as the water features and Japanese planting, visitors can also observe the resident peacocks strutting around the gardens and grounds.

Built in 1904 by the owner of a nearby house on the heath, the Hampstead Pergola’s original purpose was to be a venue for lavish Edwardian parties. Nowadays the pergola and walkway are charmingly aged and festooned with greenery and flowers in the summer months. A sense of faded grandeur creates ample Instagram opportunities for visitors – the space is so photogenic